Talley Baratka was looking for a way to make a difference, and she knew she couldn’t do it alone. A hundred women giving together, though, could be a game-changer. That’s the idea behind Impact 100 Richmond, a new women’s philanthropy group coming together with help from The Community Foundation. Baratka has joined with other Richmond-area women in the hope that 100 donations of $1,000 apiece will create a transformational $100,000 grant.

The WRVA Alden Aaroe Shoe Fund isn’t just for shoes anymore. Donations of more than $60,000 this year helped more than 800 children get off to a good start in school with whatever they needed most. “It’s grown to provide more than just shoes,“ said Jeff Baldwin, spokesman for the Salvation Army, which administers the 42-year-old fund. “It’s back-to-school supplies, and if they need a pair of sneakers, by all means get the sneakers, but they may need a hooded sweatshirt or gym shorts instead.“

The Cameron Foundation awarded grants totaling more than $1.2 million last month to 18 nonprofit organizations serving the Tri-Cities area. “The foundation makes other capacity-building investments in the local nonprofit sector in addition to grants such as these,“ foundation president Handy L. Lindsey Jr. said. “In order to continue serving the community in today’s environment, it is all the more critical that nonprofit organizations fully utilize the resources that are available, and we are mindful of our role as facilitators in this work,“ he said.

While there is much talk about what the recent economic stimulus package will or will not do, there is uniform agreement that it will not be enough to address the critical issues facing our communities—and Greater Richmond is no exception. Research on strong communities shows without question that those that are the most successful on both fronts—economic and quality of life—have a strong sense of civic engagement from all areas of the community.

Raised by a single mother, Pastor Michael Jones of Village of Faith Ministries knows how women heading households struggle. For nine women, he’s reduced some of their burdens. “We give these single mothers something a lot of Americans don’t have, that is a car without a car note,“ Jones said. “For these ladies to get a vehicle that runs and is in good condition and they don’t have to have a car note, its awesome.“

Raised by a single mother, Pastor Michael Jones of Village of Faith Ministries knows how women heading households struggle. For nine women, he’s reduced some of their burdens.

A community group that awards $5 million a year through grants for area nonprofits decided that in this economic climate, that still wasn’t enough. The Community Foundation Serving Richmond and Central Virginia took $1 million from its reserve funds to create a new fund and asked others to dig deeper as well. “The board said, ‘Look, this is an unusual time,‘ and basically asked the staff to come up with ideas on how the Community Foundation could help to meet extraordinary needs,“ said Bobby Thalhimer, senior vice president for advancement.